|
(11) | EP 0 066 454 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (54) | Methods of installing submarine cold water conduits |
| (57) A submarine cold water conduit (50) for use with an Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion
(OTEC) fossil or nuclear power plant (102) is installed by fitting a marine railway
system on the floor (12) of a body of water (11) and subsequently using the railway
system as an aid to the installation of the cold water conduit (50) and a support
structure for the conduit. |
[0001] The present invention relates to methods of installing submarine cold water conduits, for instance for use with power plants such as Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) power plants.
[0002] The high cost and dwindling supply of easily obtainable fossil fuels has created an intense interest in alternative sources of energy. One such alternative energy source involves utilisation of the temperature differential between warm surface seawater and cooler subsurface seawater. This general concept is known as ocean thermal energy conversion or "OTEC".
[0003] In the operation of an OTEC power plant, warm surface seawater is used to vapourise a working fluid. The vapour is used to drive turbine generators in much the same way as steam is used to drive turbine generators to produce electricity. After the vapour has passed through the turbines, cool subsurface seawater is used to condense the vapour, thereby completing the working fluid cycle. The cool subsurface seawater required for the process is located roughly 500 to 1000 metres (1500 to 3000 feet) below the water surface, depending on the latitude of the OTEC power plant. In many OTEC power plants, it is necessary to pump large quantities of this cool subsurface seawater to the surface. To accomplish this it is envisioned that a long pipe commonly referred to as a "cold water conduit" will be used, the conduit extending down from the surface to a depth of roughly 500 to 1000 metres (1500 to 3000 feet). It is anticipated that the cold water conduit must be approximately 1.5 to 40 metres (5 to 120 feet) in diameter for OTEC power plants of 1 to 400 MW, respectively.
[0004] The need for such a huge conduit presents several severe problems. The conduit must be fabricated, installed, and secured so that it will be able to withstand tremendous dynamic current loads. Other problems involve the method of installing such a large conduit and maintaining its position with respect to an OTEC plant located on the surface.
[0005] Prior art techniques for laying pipelines on the ocean floor include methods of installation which encompass the use of a barge and stringer arrangement or the use of an underwater sled which either place the pipeline on or bury it in the ocean floor. In the past, structurally mounted pipelines were either used at shallow depths or were secured to a support structure above the water surface and then the support structure and the pipeline were jointly lowered to the ocean floor. Prior art techniques have been able to lay pipelines measuring 41 cm (16 inches) in diameter to depths of 610 metres (2000 feet), though some pipelines as large as 9.1 metres (30 feet) in diameter have been installed in shallow water. It is believed that the use of a marine railway system to guide a pipeline to these depths and thereafter to support the pipeline on the railway system has heretofore never been. attempted. Prior art has not been able to install pipelines at depths necessary for use with an OTEC power plant. These depths were previously inaccessible by prior art means.
[0006] According to the present invention there is provided a method of installing a submarine cold water conduit, characterised by the steps of:
installing and securing at least one railway track means to an underwater land formation, and
installing and securing a cold water conduit to the railway track means.
[0007] A method embodying the invention and described hereinbelow involves installing and securing a marine railway system on a floor (more particularly a sloping floor) of a body of water such as an ocean, the system extending from a depth of about 500 to 1000 metres (1500 to 3000 feet) to an OTEC power plant located on a platform in several hundred feet of water, or built on the shoreline. Subsequently, the marine railway system is used for installing and securing a cold water conduit to the floor of the body of water.
[0008] An advantage of the method described below is that it can be used to install a submarine pipeline to 1000 metres (3000 feet) water depths by remote methods and techniques which do not require underwater divers beyond 300 metres (1300 feet) water depths. Yet another such advantage is the reduction of environmental forces, i.e. forces due to wind, current, waves, etc., on the installation operation and maintenance of the system. Another such .advantage is that a submarine pipeline can be installed at depths heretofore inaccessible. A further such advantage is the possibility of using larger than ever before coldwater conduits for OTEC power plants.
[0009] Further, the embodiment of the invention described below also minimises harm to the marine ecological system since it requires minimal disturbance of the ocean floor. All underwater operations can be monitored by the use of underwater cameras, which minimises the need for underwater personnel. The installation process can proceed from shallow waters thereby reducing environmental forces on the working vessels used and the installation operation.
[0010] The invention will now be further described, by way of illustrative and non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals designate like items throughout, and in which:
Figure 1 is an elevational view of a type of underwater land formation with which the invention can be practiced;
Figure 2 is an elevational view of the land formation shown in Figure 1, showing the installation of a bench mark pile;
Figure 3 is an elevational view of the land formation shown in Figure 1, showing the installation of a deadman template;
Figure 4 is an elevational view of the land formation shown in Figure 1, with the deadman template and a track pulldown cable in place;
Figure 5 is an elevational view of the .land formation shown in Figure 1, showing a step of attaching a section of a track to a down slope railway leader;
Figure 6 is an elevational view of the land formation shown in Figure 1, showing a step of lowering the track into position;
Figure 7 is an elevational view of the land formation shown in Figure 1, with the track in place and a pile installation rig positioned thereon;
Figure 8 is an elevational view of the land formation shown in Figure 1, showing a step of securing and levelling the track to the land formation;
Figure 9 is an elevational view of the land formation shown in Figure 1, showing a step of lowering a first section of a cold water conduit section onto the track;
Figure 10 is an elevational view of the land formation shown in Figure 1, with the cold water conduit in position;
Figure 11 is an elevational view of the completed cold water conduit of Figure 10 in combination with a discharge pipe and OTEC power plant;
Figure 12 is a side elevational view of the deadman template;
Figure 13 is a top view of the deadman template;
Figure 14 is a side elevational view of the down slope railway leader;
Figure 15 is a top view of the track section;
Figure 16 is an end elevational view of a track section;
Figure 17 is a detailed top view of a track pile guide section;
Figure 18 is a view taken along a line 18-18 in Figure 17;
Figure 19 is a side elevational view of the base of the rail mounted pile installation rig;
Figures 20A and 20B are front and side elevational views of the pile installation rig;
Figure 21 is a side elevational view of a section of the cold water conduit;
Figure 22 is a view taken along a line 22-22 in Figure 21; and
Figures 23 to 26 show an alternative method of positioning the track.
[0011] Figure 1 shows a body of water 11 having a downwardly sloping bottom 12 and a surface 13 on which is floating a surveying vessel 14. The vessel 14 is fitted with equipment well known in the art for obtaining accurate geotechnical and mapping data for the purpose of locating the best site along which to install a marine railway system.
[0012] Figure 2 shows a derrick barge 15 installing a bench mark pile 16 using a pile driver 17 suspended by a cable 18. Before installation of the bench mark pile 16 in the bottom 12, the chosen path of a track of the marine railway system may be cleared and/or levelled from the shoreline to the bench mark pile 16, in preparation for installing the marine railway system.
[0013] Figures 3 and 4 show the installation of a deadman template 19 atop the bench mark pile 16. The template 19 is installed at approximately the depth to which a cold water conduit is to extend. As shown in Figures 12 and 13, the template 19 has a plurality of pile guides or sleeves 60, one of which (62) is inverted. The inverted pile guide 62 is slid over the bench mark pile 16. A second cable 22 is threaded through a template pulley or sheave 61 (not shown in Figure 13) before the template 19 is lowered into the water 11.
[0014] The pulley 61 is attached to the template 19 for the purpose of using it as an aid in the installation of the marine railway system. It allows the derrick barge 15 to anchor and work in shallow water and yet install the railway system to the desired depth. An auxiliary vessel 20 is used to run the cable 22, herein referred to as the track pulldown cable 22, upslope of the template 19. An anchor 21 is attached to the end of the track pulldown cable 22 and a float 25 is attached to the anchor 21 or pulldown cable 22 for retrieval at a later time.
[0015] Thereafter, the pile driver 17 installs other template piles 26 needed to secure the template 19 to the sloping bottom 12. Figures 12 and 13 show the template 19 as having a plurality of template pile guides 60 and grout bags 63 attached thereto. Each template pile guide 60 receives a pile 26, driven into place by the pile driver 17. After all the piles 16 and 26 are in place, and the template 19 is levelled, the piles are secured to the template 19 by means well known in the art, preferably by pumping grout into the pile guides 60.
[0016] Referring to Figures 5 and 6, a track installation barge or vessel 30 have been coupled to the derrick barge 15 and moved upslope of the template 19. The track installation vessel 30 contains successive track sections which are designated 31A, 31B, 31C, etc. The sections 31A, 31B, 31C, etc., once joined, comprise the track (31) of the marine railway system. The track pulldown cable 22 have been retrieved and a down slope railway leader 70 has been releasably attached to the cable 22. The derrick barge 15 is used to lift and position the railway leader 70 and the first track section 31A so that they may be secured together above the surface 13 of the water.
[0017] Note that it is not essential to install the template 19. The down slope railway leader 70 can be releasably attached to the cable 22 which in turn is pulled out and away from the work vessels by an auxiliary vessel 20 and thereafter set on the bottom 12. This alternative method is shown in Figures 23 to 26 and is preferred when the path of the track 31 is smooth enough to permit its use.
[0018] The railway leader 70 is shown in Figure 14. It includes a cable attachment means 71 to releasably attach the track pulldown cable 22, a pulley or cold water conduit pulldown sheave 72 with a guide 73, a cold water conduit pulldown cable 35 reeved therethrough, a cable conduit 74, track attachment means 75 for securing the leader 70 to the adjacent track section 31A, and a base 76 to which all the above are rigidly attached.
[0019] A typical track section 31A is shown in Figures 15 to 18, which show conduits 80A and 80B (or any other similarly shaped body having a length much greater than its width) on each side of the track section 31A, running the length of the section 31A, and defining its width. A plurality of supports 81 rigidly connect the two conduits 80A and 80B. A rail 82 of T-shaped cross-section is rigidly connected along the top of each conduit 80A and 808, or two parallel rails are provided per track 31. The cable conduit 74 is positioned between the conduits 80A and 80B and runs the length of the track section 31A. Attached to each section 31A, 31B is a track pile guide section 84. Although only one track pile guide section 84 (Figure 17) is shown, it should be understood that any necessary and reasonable number could be used with any one track section 31A, 31B etc. Each track pile guide section 84 is shown to have two track pile guides, sleeves or tubes 83.
[0020] The track sections 31A, 31B, 31C, etc. are successively attached as the pulldown cable 22 is used to pull the joined track sections 31A, 31B, 31C, etc. towards the template 19. Those sections 31A, 31B, 31C, etc. already joined define the track 31 and can be flooded or pressurised as required to maintain the desired track attitude to avoid collapse due to the enormous external pressure exerted on closed bodies at great depths. Care must also be taken to feed or pay out the cable 35 while pulling the track 31 with the pulldown cable 22. In the event of bad weather, the assembled track 31 can be set on the bottom 12 until conditions improve. Once the whole track 31 has been tacked together and threaded with the cable 35, the cable 22 is used to pull the track 31 and railway leader 70 towards the template 19. At this point in the installation process the pulldown cable 22 extends from the track installation vessel 30 to the template sheave 61 and one end of the cable 22 is attached to the down slope railway leader 70 at the cable attachment means 71. The cold water conduit pulldown cable 35 extends from the track installation vessel 30 to the cold water pulldown sheave 72 and through the cable conduit 74, and after leaving the upslope end of the conduit 74 it extends back to one of the barges 15 and 30.
[0021] Figures 7 and 8 show a pile installation rig 40 attached to the cable 35 and thereafter lowered onto the track 31 from the derrick barge 15. Figures 19, 20A and 20B show that the pile installation rig 40 is positioned on the track 31 so that it rests on and is slidably engaged by the rails 82. The rig 40 has a base 40A and a guide and reaction member 40B. The base 40A is a dolly-like member that is guided by the rails 82 and on which surface-activated brakes 98, of well known type, are mounted. The guide and reaction member 40B is attached to the base 40A and is composed of supports 92 and a torque motor 93 used to screw in track piles 34 through the track pile guide tubes or sleeves 83. (However, dpending on soil conditions, a hammer (not shown) may be mounted to drive in the piles). Figure 8 shows the pile installation rig 40 proceeding down the railway track 31 installing the track piles 34 to grade. The track 31 is then levelled with jacks (not shown) which are attached to the pile installation rig 40. Thereafter, each pile 34 (shown in Figure 8) is secured to the pile sleeve or guide 83 in a manner well known in the art, preferably with the placement of grout in the guides 83 which secure the track 31 to the bottom 12.
[0022] The cold water conduit pulldown cable 35 is used to pull the pile installation rig 40 downslope (i.e. downwardly along the sloping bottom 12) to continue the installation of the track piles 34 until all necessary track piles 34 are installed. Upon completion, the pile installation rig 40 is retrieved by pulling it upslope (i.e. upwardly along the sloping bottom 12) to the upper end of the track 31, releasing it from the track 31, and hoisting it back aboard the barge 15 or 30.
[0023] Referring to Figures 9 and 10, the track pulldown cable 22 has been released and pulled back to the derrick barge 15. The track installation barge 30 has been removed and a materials barge containing a first section or inlet 50A of a cold water conduit 50 is brought alongside the derrick barge 15. The first section 50A of the cold water conduit 50 is releasably connected to the cold water conduit pulldown cable 35. The cable 35 is used to pull the conduit sections 50A, 50B, 50C, etc., into place once they have been lowered onto the track 31 and slidably engaged with the rails 82. Mechanical brake means (not shown), which are attached to each of the cold water conduit sections 50A, 50B, 50C, etc., can be engaged from the surface and are used to secure each section of the cold water conduit 50 to the track 31 once in position. The cable 35 is then released from the cold water conduit 50. The brake means could comprise any of the following systems; an explosive pin, a mechanically driven wedge, or the use of chemicals to create a metal to metal bond.
[0024] As shown in Figures 21 and 22, each conduit section 50A, 50B, 50C etc., has at least two saddle supports 90. Each saddle support 90 extends approximately the width of the track 31 and has a concave top side 91 to which are mounted pads (not shown) upon which the cold water conduit 50 rests.
[0025] The cable 35 is a continuous loop cable which runs from the derrick barge 15 through the cable conduit 74, through the cold water pulldown sheave 72 and then back to the derrick barge 15. Once the conduit section 50A is pulled into position, it is secured to the track 31, the cable 35 is released from the conduit inlet section 50A and the next conduit section 50B is releasably attached thereto. Each successive conduit section is lowerred onto the track 31 and pulled into position by the cold water pulldown cable 35. Figure 11 shows the completed installation of the cold water conduit 50, and also shows a discharge conduit 100 and a shelf-mounted OTEC fossil or nuclear power plant 102 upon which the necessary pumps are located.
installing and securing at least one railway track means (31) to an underwater land formation (12), and
installing and securing a cold water conduit (50) to the railway track means (31).
a) attaching a first section (31A) of the marine railway track means (31) to a track pulldown cable (22),
b) rigidly fastening successive sections (31B etc.) of the marine railway track means (31) to the first section (31A) of the railway track means until the marine railway track means is attached together while simultaneously threading each track section with a cold water conduit pulldown cable (35) and thereafter pulling the track pulldown cable (22) with a cable pulling means,
c) lowering the track means (31) onto the underwater land formation (12),
d) securing the track means (31) to the underwater land formation (12) with track piles (34) using a pile installation rig means (40),
e) releasably attaching the conduit pulldown cable (35) to a first (50A) or subsequent (50B etc.) section of the cold water conduit (50) and pulling it into position on the track means (31) using the conduit pulldown cable (35),
f) securing the cold water conduit section (50A, 50B etc.) to the track means (31) by a brake means and repositioning the conduit pulldown cable (35), and
b) repeating steps (e) and (f) for each cold water conduit section (50A, 50B etc.) until all the conduit sections are in place.
a) installing a bench mark pile (16) with a pile driver (17),
b) placing the deadman template (19) having a pulley (61) reeved with the track pulldown cable (22) atop the bench mark pile (16) by slidably fitting a template pile guide (62) over the bench mark pile (16),
c) installing a pile (26) in each of a plurality of template pile guides (60),
d) levelling the template (19) with grout bags (63), and
e) securing the piles (26) to the template (19) with securing means.
a) installing the piles (34) to grade through a series of pile sheaves (83) attached to the track means (31);
b) levelling the track means (31) with jacks attached to the pile installation rig means (40), and
c) securing the piles (34) to the pile sheaves (83) with securing means.